BRISBANE, Australia (AP) — Travis Head scored 152 from 148 deliveries before his dismissal ended Australia’s first innings at 425 on Friday, a lead of 278 against England in the series-opening Ashes test.
Head resumed Day 3 on 112 with Australia at 343-7 and added 82 with the tailenders before he was bowled by Mark Wood about 45 minutes before the lunch interval.
The Australian No. 5 marshalled the lower order after England rallied midway through Day 2 with three wickets, including opener David Warner for 94.
He shared important partnerships of 70 with skipper Pat Cummins (12) on Day 2, and 85 for the eighth wicket with Mitchell Starc (35) and 29 for the ninth with Nathan Lyon (15) on Day 3 to prolong Australia’s innings and keep a tiring England team in the field in humid conditions.
England’s fielders missed three more catches on Friday morning, and there was some more farcical fielding with overthrows needlessly conceded.Starc was the first wicket to fall in an extended morning sessions, hitting Chris Woakes to Rory Burns to make the total 391-8.
Woakes missed a one-handed return catch with Australia on 395-8, and then Lyon hit a boundary off Ben Stokes in the next over to raise Australia’s 400.Lyon was out to Mark Woods when Head was on 147 and Australia was on 420, leaving No. 11 Josh Hazlewood to hang around long enough to help his teammate cross 150.
Head reached the milestone with a boundary against Jack Leach, his innings including 15 fours and four sixes. It also took Leach beyond 100 runs conceded in 12.1 overs.
But with the batters trying to keep the run-rate up, Wood struck again to finish the innings when he bowled Head to finish with 3-85. Ollie Robinson returned 3-58 and Woakes had 2-76. Stokes, playing his first test match since March, had 0-65 off 12 overs and appeared to be struggling with his fitness.
England has been behind in the first test at the Gabba since winning the toss on Wednesday, losing opener Burns on the first ball of the series and being dismissed for 147 in the first innings.
